A writer must “know and have an ever-present consciousness that this world is a world of fools and rogues… tormented with envy, consumed with vanity; selfish, false, cruel, cursed with illusions… He should free himself of all doctrines, theories, etiquettes, politics…” —Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?). “The nobility of the writer's occupation lies in resisting oppression, thus in accepting isolation” —Albert Camus (1913-1960). “What are you gonna do” —Bertha Brown (1895-1987).

Monday, June 1, 2015

Bruce Rauner and Michael Madigan

Rauner and Madigan are
not moved by legal or moral considerations. They have no concern for the well-being of
the middle class and the unfair burdens of impoverished people; they have no concern
with protecting the rights and benefits of public employees and retirees; they
have no concern about the requirements of reason and the laws of morality.

They do not care about moral actions. They do not care about
breaking contracts. They do not care about obligations to others – about the
fair distribution of the tax burden, about constitutional guarantees, about
demanding more of others than they are willing to demand of themselves and
their wealthy abettors.

They have no empathy and altruism. They are not concerned
with promoting the well-being of others. They lack the capacity to sympathize. They are isolated in their elitist class. They have no connections to the middle class or
the poor. They demand sacrifices of the middle class and impoverished
people and not of themselves.

They do not view their conduct from a standpoint of
values and interests of those they hurt. They view masses of people as a
means to their own political ends. They do not live up to their agreements or the
established rules of justice. They are motivated solely by power, wealth and
greed. Make no mistake, neither one of these egocentric politicians can be
trusted.

3 comments:

I couldn't agree more. It's time that "we the people" turn off the game and take back our country from the wealthy 1% like Rauner and his cronies. There is only one reason why a wealthy businessman would spend millions to buy the governors office.

In fourth grade my teacher explained to the class that leaders in communists countries pretended that they were part of the communal spirit - upholders of the common good. As proof she read articles about elected officials who paid thousands of dollars for a position that paid hundreds of dollars. "This is obvious corruption, or how could they afford to live?"Basically, it made sense. "They make laws that benefit an inner circle while the average person suffers and does without. That is wrong."This was simple logic at its best. Powerful stuff.We all believed that the average person did the best he or she could and would be treated well in return. Plumber, scientist, college professor, truck driver - they all did the best they could and would live decent lives.As I grew older, the lessons became much more complex, but the basic values remained as typically American.Rauner and Madigan are inhumane. They are uncivilized and dangerous.We need to do all we can, each in our own way and to the best of our abilities, to topple their power structures which are truly immoral. Until they lose power, we are Americans in name only.

We need informed voters; we need an end to gerrymandering; we need to overturn Citizens United and election reform; we need an end to fear and hatred voting over voting in one's best interest; we need an end to control of our electins by big money; and we need smart voters to get off their duffs and vote. After all, Madigan and Rauner, and those their ilk were elected by people who just don't get it. We will all suffer for it.

Teacher/Poet/Musician

Copyrights & Fair Use: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material available in my efforts to advance understanding of issues vital to a democracy. I believe this constitutes a “fair use” of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law.

Persona

"I want everything to be explained to me or nothing. And reason is impotent when it hears this cry from the heart. The mind aroused by this insistence seeks and finds nothing but contradiction and nonsense" —Albert Camus (1913-1960).